I'm Ernest
Ernie's Cats
Book With Confidence
Meowtel provides customer support 365 days a year to help cat parents feel informed and supported at every step - including before a reservation is made.
In-home cat sitting visits typically include:
Ernest is experienced with 3 types of medications
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I'm Ernest
Cat Sitting in Berkeley, CA
Learn More About Ernest
What is your experience with cat sitting, and how long have you been doing it?
I took on my first cat sitting client back in 2017. The original plan was to cat sit as a side job, but that quickly changed once I realized the need for good cat care and how much I enjoyed getting to know new cats and their families.
What do you enjoy most about cat sitting?
It enjoy knowing that I can give pet parents piece of mind while they’re away from their home and cats. And of course hanging out with cats lol
Can you tell us about your favorite cat sitting reservation?
My favorite job would be caring for Daisy. I remember the first time I saw her. She wasn’t in the best shape, but sweet as can be. Long story short, the family ended up leaving the country and we kept Daisy. She’s actually still with us 3 years later. She came to us with stage 3 CKD, which we’ve managed to keep stable.
Do you have kitties yourself? What are their names?
My wife and I have 10 cats, their names are: Jaxy- 18 years old ( rescued after his owner passed away) Luna- 9 years old (rescued as a 7 week old kitten from feral colony) Bella- 9 years old ( saved from being dumped) Murphy- 6 years old ( adopted from All Animal Rescue and Friends) Bunny- 5 years old ( adopted from Contra Costa Animal Services) Max and Lily- 5 years old ( Rescued from Richmond, both found starving and skinny) Baby- 4 years old ( rescued at 9 weeks old, he was dumped at a park with a broken femur) Larry- 6 years old ( rescued starving and extremely skinny due to polyp in throat) Oliver- 2 years old ( rescued from neglectful people who were starving him)
Are you usually available during holidays?
Yes, I’m usually available during the holidays. I grew up in Berkeley, so I don’t go out of town for the holiday.
What is your favorite cat toy?
My favorite cat toy would probably be a wand toy. Most kitties have a hard time resisting wand toys haha
Medication Experience:
In-home cat sitting visits typically include:
Ernest is experienced with 3 types of medications
Check if Ernest services your area
Unfortunately, Ernest does not cover your area right meow.
Charese
April 11, 2026
Ernest was my 1st experience using Meowtel and I think he should be an ambassador because my experience was fantastic. All my fears about the worst case scenario were dispelled with Ernie because he was responsive, kind, deep expertise with cats bc he owned them, my cat warmed up to him right away, and he sent pics every visit. Now the kicker part is he observed my cat was licking an area that my indicate she has a bladder infection. She does have an anal gland issue, so the fact he noticed her behavior and correctly clocked an issue without knowing her history was moved Ernie from a 10/10 to 50000/10.
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Sharon
This week
My two cats are fairly recent rescues, so not the most trusting in the world, but they responded well to 'Ernest, ate well, Cheyenne took her medicine, and everything went smoothly. He did a great job. Cat boxes in great shape and he was even kind enough to bring in the mail.
Read more
Larissa
December 31, 2025
Ernie was so great while we were away! He sent adorable pictures of our cats and they warmed up to him so quickly! He even helped us with some issues with ants that were affecting our kitties while we were away
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Kevin
This month
Ernest took great care of our cats while we were on vacation. During the meet-and-greet, two of our normally shy cats warmed up to him almost immediately, which really put us at ease. He was dependable, caring, and attentive, and his updates gave us peace of mind while we were away. We came home to happy, well-cared-for cats and a clean home. We highly recommend him and would gladly book with him again.
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Jasmine
December 2, 2025
I can't speak highly enough about the level of care Ernest gave our kitties! He sent updates and photos with every visit. He definitely went above and beyond for us, turning up the heat for our boys as it was so cold, and sweeping up the litter our cats tracked. We will definitely be using Ernest again when we're out of town!
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Rachel
July 21, 2026
Ernest was incredible with my cats. I have two shy boys and he put in tons of effort to make a connection with them both and went above and beyond in his services. He was very communicative and sent lots of photos during his visits. Will definitely book him again in the future!
Read moreService Area & Availability
Drop in visits rates
Ernest's is 15%
Holiday Surcharge
Due to high demand during holidays, sitters on Meowtel have the option to set their own holiday price increase, which can be found in the rates section of their profiles. If your reservation falls within three (3) days before and/or after a federal holiday, or on the holiday itself, a holiday surcharge, determined by your sitter, will be added to your reservation.
These are the date ranges in 2026 to which the holiday surcharge applies:
- January 1-4: New Year's 2026
- January 16-22: MLK Day
- February 13-19: Presidents Day
- May 22-28: Memorial Day
- June 16-22: Juneteenth
- July 1-7: July 4th
- September 4-10: Labor Day
- October 9-15: Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day
- November 8-14: Veterans Day
- November 23-29: Thanksgiving
- December 22-28: Christmas
- December 29-31: New Year's 2027
Ernest's holiday surcharge is 15%.
Communicate & Pay Through Meowtel
Using Meowtel's messaging and payment tools helps keep booking details in one place and gives you access to platform support if you need help.
325,000+
Reservations Completed
Trust & Safety
Every reservation is backed by the Meowtel Promise, giving you and your cat world-class customer support every step of the way.
If it doesn't feel like the right fit at the Meet & Greet, or if you have any concerns during the reservation, please call 1-844-MEOWTEL (1-844-636-9835) so we can help you re-book with another sitter.
Labor Day is coming up soon (September 7th, 2026)
Cat sitters on Meowtel are usually pretty busy, don't forget to book your sitter!
Frequently Asked Questions
Reservations officially begin at 12:00 AM in the sitter's time zone on the start date. Cat Parents may cancel within 24 hours of booking and receive a full refund, as long as the reservation has not yet started. After the first 24 hours, the following cancellation rules apply:
- More than 48 hours before the reservation start date: Full refund. The sitter will not receive any earnings.
- 24–48 hours before the reservation start date: 50% refund. The sitter will earn 50% of their planned earnings.
- Within 24 hours of the reservation start date (or after it has begun): No refund. The sitter will earn 100% of their planned earnings.
All refunds are initially applied to the Cat Parent's Meowtel Account Balance for use toward a future reservation or tip. Funds may be returned to the original payment method at any time.
Meowtel is a marketplace that connects cat parents with independent sitters. For eligible reservations booked and paid for through Meowtel, the Meowtel Promise explains how we support cat parents if something unexpected comes up.
If it doesn't feel like a purrfect fit after a Meet & Greet or during a reservation, our support team is here to help at 1-844-Meowtel (1-844-636-9835). We'll take time to understand what happened and help you consider next steps, which could include help with a new reservation.
Berkeley cat sitting rates will vary based on the sitter's experience and services, but the average price is $40.00. Prices depend on visit duration (20, 45, or 60 minutes) and whether you need drop-in visits or overnight stays.
Every cat sitter on Meowtel completes a background check. Ask your sitter about a Meet & Greet so you (and your kitties!) can feel comfortable with your sitter before you leave.
Cats are territorial animals and don't do well in new environments. The presence of other cats, dogs, and even birds in kennels or animal hotels cause an immense amount of stress. This is why Meowtel was created, so tailored in-home care is brought to you.
We recommend booking daily visits to keep your cats in their routine and help minimize feline anxiety while you're away.
Each visit typically includes: feeding, refreshing water bowls, litter box scooping, tidying up, medications, updates with photos, lots of playtime, and any special requests. Ask your sitter about a Meet & Greet!
Rating breakdown
Charese
April 11, 2026
Ernest was my 1st experience using Meowtel and I think he should be an ambassador because my experience was fantastic. All my fears about the worst case scenario were dispelled with Ernie because he was responsive, kind, deep expertise with cats bc he owned them, my cat warmed up to him right away, and he sent pics every visit. Now the kicker part is he observed my cat was licking an area that my indicate she has a bladder infection. She does have an anal gland issue, so the fact he noticed her behavior and correctly clocked an issue without knowing her history was moved Ernie from a 10/10 to 50000/10.
Sharon
This week
My two cats are fairly recent rescues, so not the most trusting in the world, but they responded well to 'Ernest, ate well, Cheyenne took her medicine, and everything went smoothly. He did a great job. Cat boxes in great shape and he was even kind enough to bring in the mail.
Larissa
December 31, 2025
Ernie was so great while we were away! He sent adorable pictures of our cats and they warmed up to him so quickly! He even helped us with some issues with ants that were affecting our kitties while we were away
Kevin
This month
Ernest took great care of our cats while we were on vacation. During the meet-and-greet, two of our normally shy cats warmed up to him almost immediately, which really put us at ease. He was dependable, caring, and attentive, and his updates gave us peace of mind while we were away. We came home to happy, well-cared-for cats and a clean home. We highly recommend him and would gladly book with him again.
Jasmine
December 2, 2025
I can't speak highly enough about the level of care Ernest gave our kitties! He sent updates and photos with every visit. He definitely went above and beyond for us, turning up the heat for our boys as it was so cold, and sweeping up the litter our cats tracked. We will definitely be using Ernest again when we're out of town!
Rachel
July 21, 2026
Ernest was incredible with my cats. I have two shy boys and he put in tons of effort to make a connection with them both and went above and beyond in his services. He was very communicative and sent lots of photos during his visits. Will definitely book him again in the future!
Kathryn
December 28, 2024
Ernest did a great job taking care of our cat, Jerry! Just 15 minutes before we had to leave for the airport, Jerry started throwing up. We were really anxious about leaving him and requested some extra visits from Ernest. Ernest made it work, even on short notice. He always took time to interact with Jerry and went above and beyond in multiple ways like emptying the Litter Genie, taking out the trash, and even (with our permission) bringing a pheromone plug in to keep Jerry calm. Definitely recommend!
Larissa
July 28, 2026
Ernie is so great, our kitties love him! He has been so reliable and helpful while we are away, he plays with our cats and makes sure they're well fed and feel lots of love! He takes initiative to do little extra things to make our lives easier when we get home as well such as cleaning up litter messes that the cats make.
Robyn
January 1, 2025
Ernie took great care of our cats while we were away. He sent lots of photos at each visit. And he even gave our cat his inhaler, which I know isn't always easy. The house looked great when we came home.
James
May 23, 2025
Ernie’s experience giving medication was very helpful. Our senior kitty can be slow to warm up but he had it covered. Gave peace of mind for our trip out if state.
Robyn
May 15, 2025
Ernie did a great job with our 2 cats. He wrote up great visit summaries so we knew how they were doing and took plenty of photos. He left the house really clean as well.
Kaitlin
December 29, 2024
Ernie was such a great sitter! My cat Tom is a shy boy and Ernie was able to get him to warm up so fast. He really kept my mind at ease while away on holiday.
Robyn
May 13, 2026
Our cats seem to love Ernie! He sends a bunch of photos and good updates. He gives our cat Frankie his inhaler and spoon feeds Lily when she won't finish her food.
Jasmine
January 6, 2026
This was our 2nd time having Ernest take care of our cats and we were so grateful for the level of care given. Our cats have really warmed up to him and we are looking forward to working with Ernest again for future visits!
Kaitlyn
This month
Jennifer
August 5, 2026
Kaitlyn
May 26, 2026
Robyn
October 12, 2025
Ernie did a great job taking care of our cats again. He sent updates every visit and the cats love him.
Ryan
July 16, 2025
Kathryn
July 7, 2025
This was our second time booking Ernest to look after our cat. Highly recommended!
Ben
January 13, 2025
Chris
November 14, 2024
Ernie was a fantastic sitter! The communications were excellent and he handled any surprises quickly and effectively. My feral rescue took to him immediately and I almost started to wonder who the kitten would pick when I got back!
Jessica
November 14, 2024
Our cats love Ernie! We no longer worry about going on vacation because we know Ernie will take great care of our cats. He is very communicative and is great at sending picture and video updates. We can’t recommend him enough.
Meowtel
November 14, 2024
Ernest is a background-checked cat sitter in the Berkeley area. Their profile has been verified and their references have been checked by Meowtel.